94 
and the Saxons with their ornaments of amber, — and it is 
easy to understand that, according to preconcerted arrange- 
ments the Britons might have withdrawn ; and the Saxons, 
overcome with wine, might have easily been consumed in the 
palace by fire, or otherwise disposed of by the hidden 
“ dragons of Beli.” Eidiol, who was “ president of the circle, 
and knight of the course,” showed himself quite competent to 
the task. He is celebrated as the strenuous one,” and is said 
to have slain, or perhaps butchered, 300 Saxons with a staff of 
service wood.* The Saxon chief, however, anticipated this plot 
(if plot there were) by giving the appointed signal, Nimd eure 
seaxes , and the flower of the British nobility, 360 in number, 
were cut off, three only escaping. Yortigern, it is to be 
observed, was not involved in the strife, which soon extended 
over the whole kingdom. As regards the connection of all 
this with our subject, it is to be noted that the feast was that 
celebrated on the Gyntevin or 1st of May. A shriek was 
heard on the night of every May- day, over every hearth in 
Britain, which was thus interpreted by a great proficient in 
occult knowledge : “ the shrieks arise from a contest between 
the dragon of Britain and the dragon of a foreign nation, 
which on the night of May-day endeavours to conquer her, 
and the shriek you hear is given by your dragon in her rage 
and distress” (p. 66). This was continued during the supre- 
macy of the bards of Beli, the British Apollo ; and, however 
apocryphal, the story alludes to this fearful tragedy befalling 
them at the Bel-teinne, or feast of (we cannot doubt) this same 
deity . f If the Saxons were entirely pagan, so we may well 
believe were their opponents also, in the depths of their hearts, 
if not in outward profession. Now Yortigern is allowed to 
have been a splendid entertainer, and is not accused by his 
bitterest enemies of being an enemy to his country. Hildas 
calls him, indeed, swperbus tyr annus, but exonerates him from 
blame in the affair of inviting the Saxons, which he says was 
done with the unanimous voice of all his counsellors. The 
tragic end of Hengist, when at last he fell into the power of 
the British, is a strong confirmation of the pagan character 
of the times. He was made prisoner at Oaer Cynan near 
Doncaster (now Conisborough), was kept for some days, at 
the end of which Emmrys (Ambrosius) held a council to 
determine on his fate (p. 75). At this council a bishop 
(brother to that Eidiol who was superintendent of the Cor 
Gawr) declared that, whoever might befriend him, he would 
* Herbert’s Brit., p. 47. 
t Smith’s Diet “ Belinus.” 
